


There's No Such Thing As a Hollywood Ending

by imagineyou (jokerindisguise), jokerindisguise



Series: For a New World I Am Bound [1]
Category: Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon Divergence, Character Death, F/M, Gen, One-Sided Attraction, Reader Insert, Unrequited Love, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:28:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23177716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/imagineyou, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/jokerindisguise
Summary: You were tired of your life in Little Haven, but not sure how to break free. You still had to finish school. You didn't want to abandon your brother. You didn't want to leave your friends. But you wanted to get out and see what the rest of the world had to offer. You weren't sure how it would happen, or if it ever would, but you were determined to leave the tiny town behind one day.You just weren't counting on the zombie apocalypse to actually make it happen.
Relationships: Reader & Nick, Slight Reader/John
Series: For a New World I Am Bound [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1763467
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	There's No Such Thing As a Hollywood Ending

**Author's Note:**

> I fully expect that no one will actually care about this. I just couldn't get the idea out of my head and wanted something to work on that wasn't the four chaptered fics I'm currently writing. So, this was for a bit of fun, even though it gets sad and angsty. 
> 
> If you haven't seen Anna and the Apocalypse, I suggest watching the movie first, if you're going to give this fic a shot. It's a Christmas zombie musical and it's so good and the songs are so catchy. I love it so much. It will also help you better understand this fic.

Little Haven had always been the place where dreams died. Most people never really left the small town and if they did, then they never looked back. It was all well and good to be a kid and think you'd grow up to be a fighter pilot or professional dancer, but you knew once most grew up, they realized that life didn't work that way. Unless you managed to get into the school of your dreams and were given an excuse to leave for well and good, then there wasn't much hope. You hoped to one day leave, not quite sure about your plans, but just knowing that you wanted out. 

Unfortunately, you had always been unlucky in life. Your mother had passed away when you were younger, leaving you with your twin brother and father. You loved your brother. Nick was an asshole and acted like he didn't give a fuck about anything, but you knew better. Your father was a tough man to love, but you knew without a doubt that he had loved your mom more than anyone or anything, including you and your brother. When she passed, he closed himself off even more, leaving you and your brother to practically raise yourselves at times. 

Your father was a military man, so maybe it came with the territory, but sometimes you wished he would at least give your brother more leniency. You could tell that your father's treatment and sometimes outright disregard of Nick really hurt him, but he acted like it didn't matter to him. He couldn't hide his real feelings from you, though. He was the person you cared about most in the world and you knew he felt the same way about you. It seemed like for your whole life, it had been you and your brother in the thick of it for everything and you were damned if you would ever let him feel like he was alone. Sometimes, when you tagged along with him and his idiotic group of friends or bothered him into talking to you, he acted like you were a nuisance more than anything. You knew he was secretly grateful for your presence, though. 

When you weren't with your brother, then you were with your own group of friends. There were only five of you, but you were sure that they were the type of friends that would carry through with you for life. 

Chris and Lisa were adorable and all over each other all the time. You were sure that they were the type of couple who would always be together and grow old together with tons of grandbabies to dote on in their golden years. They were both incredibly sweet and even though they were usually wrapped around each other, they still made time for their friends. 

Anna was someone who closed herself off, but once you got to know her, she became one of your best friends. You shared everything with each other and you were glad that you had managed to get past the walls she put up around herself. Anna had been in a relationship with your brother, but it turned sour. You weren't sure what happened, but knowing Nick, you were sure it was because of something he did. If Anna had seen fit to trust your brother, though, then you knew there was still hope for them to mend things. He could be a total jerk, but you knew he must have cared about Anna, since he seemed determined to get back in her good graces. 

John was the person who rounded out your friend group. He was charming and funny, usually cracking a joke when it was most needed. He seemed delighted if he got a smile out of someone and was always looking to brighten someone's day. He was closest to Anna, but a part of you wondered if that was because he was in love with her. You were sure Anna didn't know, but you couldn't help but notice the way he looked at her and seemed to constantly seek her out. 

You were sure your crush on John was the only reason you took note of his obvious attraction to Anna. You found yourself wishing that he would pay attention to you like he did Anna, but you knew that it wasn't likely to happen in your lifetime. John only ever had eyes for Anna, which made Anna's relationship with your brother awkward. You knew your brother gave John a hard time, but you wondered if it was because he was jealous or he was trying to protect you, since he was the only one who knew about your feelings for John. Knowing your brother, it was probably a bit of both. 

On the afternoon that your world imploded, you were sitting at your usual lunch table, listening to Chris and Lisa be a sickeningly cute couple when John and Anna joined you. John nudged you as he sat beside you, his focus mostly on Anna who sat opposite him. You couldn't help but feel a little thrill at the feeling of his arm brushing against yours or the ridiculous Christmas sweater he was wearing. You knew you probably should have tried to let go of your crush on John, but it had persisted over the years. As it was, you were grateful for any little bit of contact between you. 

"I'm just saying," John started. "I don't see what you saw in him." 

"Nothing," Anna snapped. "I saw nothing, obviously." She ducked her head as she seemed to concentrate on her lunch, obviously trying to shut down the conversation. 

"Talking about my brother?" You asked, barely glancing up from your fruit cup. 

"Yes," John answered. "Why is he such a prick?" 

You shrugged your shoulders. "He's not that bad," you tried to defend your brother. 

"He is a prick, though," Lisa chimed in. "A hot prick, but still a prick." 

John raised an eyebrow at that, shaking his head. "Don't know why I even bother." 

You noticed Anna making a face at something across the lunchroom and glanced over to see your brother making an obscene gesture at her. "Ugh," you groaned. "I take that back," you amended, turning back to your lunch. "He is that bad." 

"Hey, Y/N," Lisa called, gaining your attention. "Why don't you let us set you up? There are tons of cute boys here who I’m sure are dying to go out with you.” She froze for a moment, her eyes going wide. “Or girls! If you prefer them," she added hastily, her cheeks reddening in a blush. “I’m sorry,” she said with a grimace. 

You immediately shook your head, refusing to look in John's direction. You knew there was no way the others could know about your feelings for John, but you didn't want to make it obvious. "That's okay. I'm fine. But thanks, Lisa," you said, offering her a smile you hoped looked sincere. 

Lisa opened her mouth to protest, but thankfully Steph approached the table. You listened to her ask Chris about making a video project at the soup kitchen, offering to help Chris boost his poor grades, and couldn't help but think about your own failing marks in class. 

"Hey, could I join you two?" You asked, hoping to bring up your own grade before the holidays. 

Steph turned to look at you, her brow furrowed. "Why?" 

You shrugged your shoulders. "I need some help with my grade too. Maybe I can tag along and help?" 

Steph seemed to be thinking it over, but Chris was quick to jump in. "Of course you can come with us, Y/N. The more the merrier, right?" 

"Right," Steph agreed, nodding her head. She seemed grateful that Chris was helping her, since you knew she was going against soon-to-be-principal Savage’s wishes. The man was consumed with the idea of power and you knew that he took delight in assuming control of everything he could. Steph was always offering to help with projects to better Little Haven, and while you weren't sure why Savage was standing in her way, you knew that the man was a tyrant and needed to be stopped. If you could annoy him and improve your grades? Well, it seemed like a win-win to you. 

"Thanks," you said, nodding at Chris and Steph before you stood up. "I'll see you guys later." 

You turned and moved to leave, making sure to pass by Nick so you could tug on his ear. 

"Piss off!" He yelled after you and you smirked at him over your shoulder. 

You managed to get through the rest of the school day without thinking too much about John. Most of your focus was on meeting up with Chris and Steph that night and hoping that your teacher would accept your participation in the video. You really couldn’t help it when your thoughts drifted to John, though. There was a tiny glimmer of hope still in you that one day he would notice that you had been there for him all along, but you also didn’t want to seem desperate and pathetic. You didn’t get why people seemed so caught up by the idea of romance, since so far, it had only proved painful to you. 

You met up with Chris and Steph after school, following them to the soup kitchen so that you could get started on the video project. You helped out where you could, not wanting to seem like you were slacking. By the time you were wrapping up the video, you couldn't help but feel proud of Steph. You knew she genuinely cared about getting the word out about the homeless population of Little Haven and you were glad to have joined the project since it opened your eyes to the very real problem a lot of people seemed to be ignoring in your town. 

By the time you were done, it was dark and chilly outside. You pulled your coat tighter around yourself as you followed after Chris and Steph, not really paying attention to your surroundings. You were thinking about earlier that day, how John had been so desperate for Anna's attention. You thought of his heartbroken expression when she implied that John couldn't actually fight your brother for her honor, since he likely wouldn't win. It was true, but you hated that Anna didn't even seem to realize the effect she had on John. 

You knew Anna loved John, but just not quite in the way John loved her. The problem was that you loved John in the way he so desperately wanted Anna to love him. John only saw you as a friend, though. So, it looked like all three of you would just have to feel unfulfilled with your relationships. You hated the idea of being in a weird love triangle with two of your best friends, but it seemed you had no real choice. You couldn't choose the person you loved, because if that were the case, then you surely would have chosen someone more attainable than John. 

You were torn out of your thoughts by the sound of a scream. 

You snapped your head up to see a woman being attacked by a man. You moved forward to get a better look, but Chris shot an arm out, keeping you from getting any closer. 

"What the hell, Chris?" You glanced at your friend, but he seemed spooked. 

"We need to go. Now," he said, shaking his head as he pulled you back. 

"What? She needs help," Steph pointed out. 

You moved to get around Chris' hold, but he persisted in keeping you back. "I've seen enough horror movies to know what that is," he said as he nodded at the pair before you. 

You felt your eyes widen in shock as the man bit into the woman's neck, pulling back and chewing on the flesh in his mouth. The woman's screams silenced and Chris turned and started herding you and Steph in a different direction. 

"What the fuck is happening?" You heard more screams then and knew instinctively that the attack you just witnessed wasn't an isolated event. This was happening in other places around you. "We have to do something." You flinched at the sound of someone gurgling, knowing that it couldn't mean anything good for them. "We should hide," you decided, glancing to see Steph and Chris nodding their heads. 

The three of you moved as silently as you could, aware of the cries for help and low groans echoing all around you. You looked for a safe place to hide, but most of the shops were already locked up for the night and it seemed that everywhere you turned, there were more terrifying noises to signal that your choices for shelter were quickly running out. 

Chris reached out to try the back door of the bowling alley where John and Anna worked and sighed in relief when it swung open. "John must've forgotten to lock up," he said as he ushered you and Steph into the building. “Wouldn’t be the first time,” he commented, quickly swinging the door shut behind the three of you. 

You glanced around, hoping that Anna or John would have still been there, but the place appeared to be deserted. 

Chris locked the back door and turned to survey the bowling alley. "Well, ladies, I guess we've got the place to ourselves." He strolled forward and started rummaging through the snack bar. 

You shook your head and turned to look at him. "How the fuck are you so calm right now?" 

"Oh, I'm not," he told you, grinning sheepishly at you. "I'm freaking out about the possible start of a zombie apocalypse. I'm worried about my gran and Lisa. But as long as it's dark and those things are out there, I'm not sure I could make it to the school. I'm just choosing to believe they're safe at the school." 

You remembered that the school's Christmas show was that night and Lisa was meant to be performing. You knew Chris had been upset at the thought of missing her performance, but it seemed he wasn't going to get to witness it any time soon. You sighed and glanced around, hating that the front door was glass and didn't afford you much protection. 

"What are we going to do?" You couldn't help but ask, feeling helpless. Chris thought the zombie apocalypse was starting and you weren't too sure that he was wrong about that idea. 

"Try to get in touch with someone? Hide? Find a weapon?" Chris shook his head. "No idea, really. Well, scratch that. I have ideas about how to survive a zombie apocalypse, but I never thought I'd be trapped in a bowling alley once it actually happened." 

Steph sighed and glanced out the front doors. You flinched at the sound of a scream that sounded incredibly close to the building. Steph took a step away from the front doors and turned to take stock of the bowling alley. "Let's find a place to get out of sight," she suggested. "If anyone thought to look in the doors, we'd be screwed." 

You nodded your head and followed Chris and Steph behind the counter, sliding to the floor. You pulled your phone out of your pocket and dialed your brother's number, but he didn't answer. There was no answer from your father. No answer from John. No answer from Anna or Lisa or anyone else. You couldn't help but wonder if they were still alive. You were sure that someone else had to be, but no one was actually answering their phones to give you any peace of mind. 

All three of you stayed behind the counter for the rest of the night, listening to the sounds of screams and cries for help. Chris was sitting between you and Steph and he had an arm around each of your shoulders. With each noise outside, he seemed to bring the both of you in tighter. You couldn't help but curl into him, feeling the need for some kind of reassurance in that moment. You knew he was freaking out as well, since he hadn't heard from Lisa or his grandmother or anyone else. Steph checked for news updates on her laptop from time to time, but she said that all she could tell was that the military was supposed to arrive and take care of the situation. 

You felt discouraged at the idea, since you knew your father would be on the front lines. If the streets were overrun with the undead for the moment, then there was very little chance of finding somewhere else that was safe. The bowling alley was the closest to safety you had until you were either forced to leave or were rescued. 

By the time a new day dawned, you felt like you were going to crawl out of your skin with worry. You had managed to doze off a few times with your head on Chris' shoulder, but each time you would jolt awake, remembering that you were likely in danger and couldn't afford to let your guard down. 

All three of you had peeked outside from time to time as the morning progressed, but there wasn't much to see. You could see a few people stumbling around and after everything that had happened, you rightly ducked down out of sight from them. After glancing around behind the front counter, you found a hammer tucked away in a drawer. Steph had found a spatula of all things and Chris was debating the merits of grabbing a bowling ball when all three of you heard the front door open. You shared a wide-eyed look with the other two, your hand clutching the hammer to your chest. 

It was one thing to know that zombies now existed and yet another to think about having to actually kill one. Your dad had drilled you and your brother about the need for survival over the years and while you knew your brother had taken it more to heart than you did, you found yourself nodding to yourself now. You'd do what you had to in order to ensure that all three of you made it. 

Steph nodded back at you and on the silent count of three, all three of you jumped up from your hiding spots, ready to face the threat. 

"Oh, thank fuck," you breathed at the sight of Anna and John standing there. They weren't zombies and they didn't appear to be hurt. You placed the hammer on the counter and rushed to greet them, pulling both of them in for a hug. 

Once you reunited with your friends, you felt relief at the thought that there were others who had survived. You thought there was hope for your family. For Anna's dad and Chris' grandma and Lisa. You weren't alone and that meant that you had a fighting chance. 

Of course, you really should have known better than to think that anything was going to go right. You were sitting on the counter, flipping the hammer over and over in your hand, and listening to John and Chris talk about the zombie apocalypse. Anna and Steph had gone to the bathroom, leaving you alone with the two boys. You rolled your eyes, trying not to smile, but also thinking maybe you should have joined Anna and Steph. Only Chris and John would be excited by the idea of reanimated dead people coming back and eating people. 

It wasn't until Anna and Steph came running out of the bathroom, four zombies trailing after them, that you realized the bowling alley wasn't as safe as you once thought. You jumped off the counter, swinging at the first zombie within range. You watched it fall to the floor, aware of the others battling their own zombies as you crouched and hit the zombie again when it tried to reach out for you. By the time you were sure that your zombie was well and truly dead, Chris had already taken care of another one. Anna and John were trying to hold off one zombie, but Steph was all on her own while struggling with another one. 

You saw Chris run over to her, ready to help her. You followed after him, since you realized they only had a spatula between them to try to fend off the zombie. 

"Hey!" You shouted, getting the zombie's attention. 

It turned towards you, stumbling over. You hit it with your hammer, feeling disgust when you managed to hit it in the eye. The head of the hammer broke off and you cursed, backing up when the zombie kept coming for you. You glanced around wildly for another weapon, since you were now only holding a piece of wood, and wondered if you could grab a bowling ball to finish the zombie off, when you heard a gurgling noise and saw that Steph had managed to stab the zombie in the head with the handle of the spatula. 

"Thanks," you breathed, shooting her a grateful smile. 

"Anytime," she replied and then frowned. "Well, let's hope this won't have to become a regular thing." 

You laughed and glanced over to see that Anna and John had managed to finish off the last zombie. 

"So, guys?" Chris called. "What the hell should we do now?" 

You glanced around at the group, noticing that everyone including yourself had zombie blood spattered somewhere on clothes or skin. "I wish I could take a shower," you muttered, frowning down at the red on your shirt. 

Steph turned towards the counter and reached down to grab her laptop out of her bag. "Let's see if there's any news," she suggested. She opened her laptop and booted it up. You moved to stand behind her as she started scrolling through the newsfeed. 

"You've got to be kidding me," you muttered when you noticed the pictures that had popped up on her screen. You scoffed at the idea of people taking selfies with zombies and making light of the situation. Trust the general population to find a way to make jokes about the zombie apocalypse when likely thousands had already died. 

"Maybe we deserve to go extinct," Steph said, frowning at her laptop. 

You sighed and walked over to one of the tables and sat down, slumping against the surface. You were exhausted, but you felt like you couldn't rest. It felt like you could be attacked at any moment and you didn't know if there would ever truly be a peaceful moment again. 

You flinched when you felt someone touch your shoulder and glanced over to see Anna standing there. 

"Hey, Y/N," she said, offering you a hesitant smile. "You doing okay?" 

"As okay as I can be," you responded, watching as she took the only other chair at the table. "What about you?" 

"Same," she muttered, frowning down at her phone. "Wish I could hear from my dad." 

"Yeah," you agreed. "I'm worried about my brother. And my dad," you added after a few moments. 

She offered you another smile, reaching across to squeeze your hand. "We'll find them. Don't worry." 

"Hey, ladies," John interrupted as he joined both of you. "Steph says there's going to be some kind of army rescue at the school. We figure we can try to get there once it's safe enough to leave." 

You nodded your head, frowning down at your phone. You hoped that your brother was at the school. If it was safe, then that meant that Lisa was safe and Chris' grandmother. It might even mean the same for Anna's father, since you knew he had been working at the school the night before when everything went topsy turvy. 

As the day passed and the zombie threat didn't seem to dissipate, you grew increasingly worried. Would there ever truly be a safe time to try to make a break for the school? You weren't sure, but by the time night fell, you were about ready to jump out of your skin with nerves. 

The first explosion made you flinch, your arms coming up to cover your head instinctively. It took you a while to realize that whatever had caused it, while close, hadn't touched the bowling alley. 

You walked towards the front windows with the others, watching in horrified silence as smoke and fire seemed to consume the horizon. You felt yourself begin to tremble as you thought about all of your loved ones possibly going up in flame. Little Haven seemed to be falling apart right before your eyes and there wasn’t anything you could do to stop it. 

You glanced down at your phone and hoped for a new message or phone call, even knowing that there hadn't been a signal for hours. 

"Come on," you groaned, holding on tightly to your phone. Your father never answered his phone, which didn't surprise you. The military must have been scrambling to contain the problem. What worried you more was that your brother never answered his phone. You couldn't get a call out. You didn't have any texts from him. You just wanted to know that he was okay. You couldn't stand the thought of your brother shambling around town as one of the undead. 

You felt a tear slip down your cheek as you turned away from the front windows and walked over towards the counter. You hopped up onto it and took a deep breath, trying to force yourself to calm down long enough to think about your situation. 

As the minutes passed, you noticed the others starting to slump over in exhaustion. Chris came up with the idea to hide under the plastic balls in the makeshift ball pit that was really just an inflatable kiddie pool. He figured it was the safest way to sleep while everything fell apart outside. 

"You guys go ahead," you told them. "I'll keep watch." You really just didn't want to feel like you were trapped all night. You were already going a bit crazy at the thought of staying in the bowling alley any longer. Besides, you knew you weren't likely to actually get any sleep. 

"Y/N, come on," John tried to protest. 

You shook your head. "I'll make sure it's safe, yeah? Someone has to keep an eye out." 

Anna frowned at you, but the others moved to slowly crawl into the pool, submerging themselves beneath the plastic balls and rearranging their bodies so that everyone fit. You sighed and jumped down from the counter once they were all hidden away, trying to take up a position that wouldn't be easily spotted from the front doors. 

You flinched at every noise as the night passed. You heard more screams, gunfire, and a few more explosions. But other than that, you couldn't really hear much else. For all you knew, the bowling alley was surrounded by the undead. You hoped that wasn't the case, but without daylight to actually see anything, you weren't sure. 

By the time the others woke up the next morning, you were backed up against the wall, warily watching the door. You could see movement through the blinds over the windows, but you didn't want to chance getting close to them. 

Chris was the first to brave peeking out the windows and you all quickly followed. 

"Fuck," you groaned, noticing the zombies stumbling around. They were dressed in military uniforms. "There goes our shot at a rescue." You worried about the fate of your dad, but until you actually knew if he was alive or not, there wasn't much you could do. 

"We should still try to get to the school," Chris suggested. "There has to be someone there." 

You knew he was still holding out hope that Lisa and his grandmother were still alive. You knew that if any of your friends had any chance of reuniting with loved ones at the school, then you would do your best to help get them there. 

You glanced around at the others, seeing their resolve to try to make a break for the school. "Then let's go," you agreed. "But how are we going to get there without being set upon by zombies once we're out the door?" 

Chris shot you a timid smile and then turned to look at the inflatable pool. "I have an idea." 

"Oh, no," you groaned, feeling apprehensive about whatever idea he had that involved fighting off zombies with a piece of plastic pumped full of air. 

As the others emptied out the plastic balls from the ball pit at Chris’ request, you moved to stand near John. 

"Hey, John?" You called softly, not wanting the others to take notice. 

He turned to look at you, his eyebrows raised in question. "Yeah?" 

"Can I talk to you?" 

You waited for him to nod his head before you led him over towards the lanes, hoping for a bit of privacy. 

"What's going on, Y/N?" 

"Look, we're probably all about to die really horrible, disgusting deaths. I don't want to leave like this, but it's our only option if we want to make it to the school." You took a deep breath, not quite meeting John's eyes. "So I want to do this before I possibly never get a chance to." 

"Do what?" 

You couldn't help but think he looked so adorable standing there in his Christmas sweater and looking confused. You steeled yourself for rejection, knowing it was the only possible outcome for this conversation. "I like you, John,” you blurted. “I've liked you for a really long time. And if I'm going to die, then I just wanted you to know that." 

"Y/N, I..." he trailed off, glancing over at Anna with a frown on his face. 

You offered him a small smile, feeling crushed and defeated, even though you had known this was how it was going to go. "I get it," you told him, putting your hand briefly on his arm. "I just wanted to get it out there before I turned into a zombie or something." 

John's brows furrowed and he opened his mouth, but you shook your head and walked away. You didn't want to hear him let you down easy. You just wanted to get the fuck out of Little Haven. Although, with the way things were going, you weren't sure if you would ever make it out of town. 

That feeling only got worse moments later as you all put Chris' plan into action. 

"I really hate this," you hissed as you hunched over with the others, trying to remain inconspicuous even though all of you were traveling with an inflatable pool on top of your heads. "Have I mentioned this is the worst plan?" 

"Many times," Chris grunted, being careful not to jostle you too much. 

"The worst," you groaned, hoping and praying that you didn't run into a whole group of zombies. The pool would only protect you all from so much and it was already really uncomfortable trying to shuffle along with four other people under the inflatable pool. 

It was hard to navigate, but you felt a bit of relief when you realized that you were all slowly making your way in the direction of the school. 

At the first sign of zombies, all of you dropped to the ground, completely hiding yourselves under the pool. You were crouched down near Steph, so you were one of the first to notice when the zombie got close to her. You felt your eyes widen, hoping it wouldn't notice you, but it only sat down on her. 

You tried to stifle a laugh at the look on her face, knowing that the situation wasn't really funny, since it could turn deadly any second, but you weren't sure what else to do. Of course, that all went right out the moment Chris figured out it was an elderly woman and she was peeing right on top of Steph's head, the only thing keeping them separate being plastic. 

You turned your face away, doing your best not to let Steph know that you were laughing at her predicament. It was the first time you'd felt like laughing in days and you were glad for the moment, even though it was dangerous. 

The zombie got up and shuffled away and Anna raised the pool a bit, checking to make sure it would be safe to carry on. She gasped and hastily dropped the corner of the pool back to the ground. You felt your stomach drop, knowing that she must have been spotted. You didn't have a weapon. All you had were your phones and Steph's laptop. The pool wouldn't do much, but maybe you could throw it at a zombie and run away. 

There was a snarl and a wash of blood over the top of the pool before it was pulled back. 

You crouched, ready to leap at the zombie to possibly knock it down, before you realized that you recognized the smug smirk that was greeting the five of you. 

"Nick?" You couldn't help but throw yourself at your brother, pulling him into a tight hug. "I've been so fucking worried." 

"Me too," he murmured into your shoulder. 

"Oh great, Nick's here," you heard John groan, his tone giving away just how unhappy he was to see your brother. 

You pulled away from your brother to glare at John, knowing he was aware of how worried you had been about your brother. 

"I mean, oh great, Nick's here," John repeated with a forced smile, giving you a thumbs up. 

You rolled your eyes as you took a step away from Nick. Nick shook his head as he turned to regard the group of zombies that was slowly stumbling towards your group. He held up a bat, considering the line of undead. You knew he was about to attack them. Your brother had never met an enemy he wouldn't try to face in some kind of combat. 

You noticed his group of friends just a few feet away, all three of them standing near shopping carts full of supplies that had no doubt been looted. 

Nick turned to look at his friends and nodded at the zombies. "You boys ready for some more action?" He winked at Anna at his words and you noticed her roll her eyes. 

You cleared your throat as you looked at the zombies slowly approaching. "Got something for me?" You asked as you glanced at your brother. 

He turned to raise an eyebrow at you, signaling for his friends to get ready. "You think I'm going to let my sister battle these undead fuckers?" 

"You're not going to _let me_ do anything. I'm choosing this. Give me something." You told him, holding out your hand. 

"You're lucky I thought this would happen." He tossed his bat to one of his friends before he reached into one of the carts and pulled out a machete. "For you," he said, holding it out with it resting on both of his palms as if handing you a gift. 

"Y/N, are you sure about this?" John called, worry evident in his tone. 

"Don't worry, Johnny boy. My sister has more balls than you ever will," your brother said. 

"Gross," you muttered, taking a few practice swings with the machete. 

"Seriously, Y/N. Maybe we should just get out of here," Chris said, pulling your attention back to him. He had his phone up, ready to record whatever was about to happen. You knew, though, that he was just as eager to run away from the zombies than get video evidence of the carnage that was about to happen. 

"I'm not going to let my brother go into battle without me," you said, squaring your shoulders as you faced the line of zombies headed for your group. You had gone through everything with your brother, and now that you were finally reunited with him, you weren't going to let him go anywhere without you again. You glanced at Nick, sharing a look, before you nodded. "Ready?" 

"Born ready," your brother answered before he turned to face his friends. "Let's go get them, boys." He considered you for a second. "And girl," he added before he faced the zombies and charged at them. 

You let yourself move on instinct as you took care of any zombies you came across. You moved as quickly as you could, doing your best to take care of any threats before they were a problem. You were most focused on making sure zombies stayed away from your friends, since none of them had a weapon. 

There was one group of girls dragging themselves towards you. They looked like they had been at a school meet when they became the undead, all of them in athletic gear. You were oddly glad that your brother and his friends had taken care of the elderly zombies, since you really didn't want to think about having to put down anyone's grandparents. Once the first round of zombies was taken care of, you noticed another group of zombies heading for your friends. 

Nick and his friends were obviously having fun, taking time to play with the zombies before killing them. You opted to just go straight for the kill, knowing that if you let your guard down, then any of the undead stumbling towards you could easily kill you or one of your friends. 

"Y/N!" You heard Nick call and you turned to see your brother running towards you. 

You felt a hand reach out and grab the back of your shirt. You could only assume from your brother's rush to get to you that a zombie had gotten the better of you. There was a snarling noise in your ear as you tried to twist out of the zombie's hold, but you couldn't break free. 

You heard your friends calling your name, obviously worried about your fate, before Nick reached you. He raised his bat and smashed the zombie in the face, before he tugged you away. 

"Worried me there for a moment, little sister," he called over his shoulder, moving to kill another zombie. 

"Little sister?" You scoffed, moving to decapitate the zombie that had almost bitten you. "Oh, by nine minutes!" You argued, rolling your eyes. You tried not to think about how close you had just come to being killed. You slashed at a zombie, your heart pounding in your chest from adrenaline and fear. 

"Nine glorious minutes when I was an only child," Nick joked, shooting you a smirk. 

"Fuck off," you grumbled, taking care of one of the last zombies. You let out a breath of relief once the zombies were all dead and then turned to your brother, grabbing him by his elbow. "Do me a favor?" You whispered, not wanting to worry the others with your request. 

"Yeah," he agreed, concern laced in his tone. "Something wrong?" 

"I know it didn't get me, but can you still check my back? Make sure it didn't bite me and I just can't feel it?" 

"It didn't," he immediately denied, but still pulled down the collar of your shirt, checking your back. "Nothing," he confirmed for you. "I saved you yet again." 

"Oh, do shut up," you grumbled, but still spun around to pull him into another hug. "Have you heard from dad?" You couldn't help but ask, knowing that if your brother had any news about your father, then he would have told you. 

You felt Nick freeze in your arms before he pulled away from you. He shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "Couldn't get a hold of him." 

You watched your brother, knowing there was something he wasn't telling you, but didn't get a chance to ask him. Anna and Chris had reached the both of you and Anna moved to pull you into a hug. "That was close, Y/N," she said. 

You felt Chris reach out and put a hand on your arm. "Gave us a scare there," he told you as he squeezed your wrist, as if making sure you were really there and not one of the ravenous undead. 

"But I'm okay," you consoled them, pulling back and offering Anna what you hoped was a reassuring smile. 

"Got one of those for me?" Your brother asked, grinning at Anna. "I did just save all of your lives." 

She shook her head, turning her back on him, but not before she flipped him off. 

You huffed out a laugh and glanced away, accidentally meeting John's gaze. He looked worried, but nervous, as if he wasn't sure if he should approach you. You knew your confession had made things between you a bit awkward, but John was still your friend. You rolled your eyes and held your arms out, letting out a breathless laugh when John rushed at you and pulled you into a hug. 

"Don't frighten us like that again, okay?" He said, shaking you a bit as if in admonishment. 

"Hands off my sister, John," Nick said, using his bat to nudge John away from you. "She's too good for the likes of you." 

You rolled your eyes and reached out to shove your brother's shoulder. "Again, do shut up," you told him, turning away before he could see the blush you were sure was forming on your face. Your brother had known about your crush on John basically since it started. It was difficult keeping anything from him and while he didn't exactly make it easier for you, you knew that some of his outright dislike for John stemmed from the fact that he didn't like John's interest in Anna and how it broke your heart. 

With the major threat facing the group taken care of, you all decided to stick together. You were glad, since you knew that if it came down to a choice between your friends and your brother, you would pick your brother. You had lived your life at your brother's side, and while you would have been terrified to leave your friends, there was no chance you could abandon your brother. 

You also couldn't help but feel safer in a group of nine than you had in one of five, especially since your brother and his friends had brought weapons with them. They easily dispatched any stray zombies you came across as you moved in the direction of the school. 

The plan was to get to the school by nightfall, but in order to do that, you had to stick together and hurry. You ended up walking near Steph and Chris, your brother and his friends taking the front in case there were any more zombies, with John and Anna bringing up the rear of the group. You tried to keep vigilant, but you felt like your adrenaline was crashing. After hardly any sleep the previous two nights and going from one terrifying situation to another, the moment of peace you found walking with the group only left you dragging your feet. 

"You okay?" Steph asked, shooting you a concerned look. 

You blinked a few times, trying to will your eyes to stop burning. "Peachy," you grumbled, your hands shaking as you practically dragged your feet. "Just tired," you added with a shrug of your shoulders. 

"Well, once we get to the school, maybe you'll get a chance to sleep," she offered. 

You frowned and shook your head. "Doubtful," you muttered, feeling very little hope at the idea of a safe place in Little Haven. Was only your town affected? The country? The continent? The world? How far had this spread in only a short amount of time? You weren't sure, but a part of you felt horrified at the thought of being on the run from the undead for the rest of your life. You couldn't help but think your only chance was if your dad was still alive and had access to a military bunker or somewhere that could be locked down away from the zombie threat. 

You all knew that there was very little chance of making it to the school by dusk with the route you were going. You didn't like the plan to cut through a Christmas tree emporium, but you knew that it was one of the only shortcuts you could take. You knew it was a huge risk, though. There would be trees everywhere and an enclosed space, which meant there was less room to move and even less to see. If the room was filled with zombies, then would you even notice them until it was too late? 

You held your machete up as you stayed with the group, hating the silence. You hoped that there weren't any zombies hidden among the trees, since they usually made some kind of noise, but you were proven wrong when one stumbled out from between the trees and bit into one of Nick's friend's arms. 

Your group scattered, suddenly fending off zombies and trying to find the exit. It was dark and you could hear others screaming and all you could hope was that it wasn't your brother or your friends. You leaned against a tree, looking around for a way out, when you heard the tree in front of your rustle. You glanced over to it, machete held up and ready, but let out a sigh of relief when you saw John limping towards you. 

"What happened?" You hoped he wasn't bitten, but you couldn't see any blood on him that hadn't already been there. 

"Tripped over a fuckin' Christmas tree," he grumbled. "Behind you!" He snapped in time for you to turn and kill the zombie that had been about to lunge at you. 

You heard Anna calling for John and followed the sound of her voice, breaking out of a group of trees to see Anna and your brother waiting near the exit. "Thank fuck," you breathed before you rushed to join them, Steph and Chris right behind you. 

"That's all of us?" You couldn't help asking, looking around for your brother's friends. You noticed the zombies that were starting to close in on you and stared in horror at the one in front, recognizing him as one of Nick's friends. 

"That's all," Nick confirmed, his voice strained as he began to herd you through the exit of the Christmas tree emporium. When you were all out, Nick and Chris pushed a shelf in front of the door in an effort to block any more zombies from coming through and surprising you all. 

Once you regrouped in the next room, you took a moment to lean against the wall and take a deep breath. You knew that it likely wasn't the end of the terror you would face. It probably wasn't even the worst you would face that night. But you still couldn't help but feel concerned about the tense set of your brother's shoulders, knowing he had just lost three of his closest friends. 

Your brother sighed and pushed through the door that led to a hallway, Chris and Steph right behind him. You turned to see Anna and John giving each other relieved grins, Anna's hand on John's arm, and felt your chest clench at the sight. You had known you didn't have a chance, but it still didn't help to see them so close. You turned and pushed through the door, reuniting with the others while you waited for Anna and John. 

You heard the door open behind you and Anna laughing at something John said. 

You turned in time to see John throw his arms wide, not noticing the zombie about to bite his hand. "Fucking move!" You yelled, pushing John out of the way as you used your weapon to run it through the zombie's head. 

"Y/N!" You heard your brother call, his tone panicked. 

You glanced up to see a whole group of zombies stumbling towards you, their hands outreached. "Fuck," you hissed before you felt an arm wrap around your waist and tug you back. 

You moved to fight off the hold, thinking a zombie had snuck up on you, but then realized you recognized the arm of the ridiculous Christmas sweater wrapped around your waist. 

You swung at the closest zombie, glad that it was taken care of, but worried about the dozens more making their way towards you and the others. John had pulled you back until you were with the group and let you go. 

"Thanks," you told him, swinging at another zombie. 

"No, thank you," he said, offering you a relieved smile. 

“Enough of that," your brother snapped. "Let's get the fuck out of here." 

You fought your way through the building, glad when you were finally free. You let the door shut behind you, sharing a worried look with the group. You noticed your brother's shoulders shake, turning his back to the group. You moved to stand next to him and nudged your shoulder into his, trying to get him to look at you. "I'm sorry about your friends." 

Nick scoffed and shook his head. "They were idiots," he muttered, a scowl on his face as he started moving forward. 

"Definitely," you agreed. "But they were your idiots." 

"Doesn't matter," Nick said, frowning down at the bat in his hand. "They're dead now." You reached out to put a hand on his arm, but he shrugged away from you. "It's getting dark. Let's get to the school." 

You were worried about your brother, but you weren't sure if he would let you get through to him now. He had closed himself off and you knew that he would only talk to you once he was ready. You followed the others towards the school, trying to digest the fact that you had almost died today. John had almost died. All of you could be dead by the time the day ended. But you knew that as long as there was hope, you would have to carry on. 

You shared a small smile with Chris before pulling open the door to the school, knowing that this was it. This would be the answer Chris and Anna had been searching for since the whole mess began. Were their loved ones still alive? 

You weren't prepared to see Savage sitting behind the front desk. 

"Oh," he said, shooting the group of you a grin. "You're alive." 

"Uh, yes?" You weren't sure why it came out as a question, but the last thing you expected to see once you reached the school was your principal-to-be calmly eating dinner while sat behind the front desk. He looked as unruffled by the zombie apocalypse as anyone could be. Was he even fully aware of what was going on? 

"Well, why don't you go in?" He asked, raising a brow at all of you. 

You couldn't help but feel like this was some sort of trick. This was too easy. You had fought the undead all day and suddenly you were just going to waltz into the school and not meet some kind of obstacle? 

"Guys," you started, not sure what else to say. 

"I know," Anna muttered, clutching the spiked candy cane she had picked up as a weapon before you all entered the Christmas tree emporium. "Let's stick together, though." She turned to look at Savage. "Where's my dad?" She asked, taking a step towards the desk. 

Savage nodded towards the door. "Why don't you find out?" He sneered, the first real expression besides his eerie sense of calm that you had seen on his face. 

"There's the contempt I know and love," you joked, hearing John snort out a laugh behind you. You shot him a smile, hefting your machete in your hand as you walked over towards the door. "With me?" You asked the others, knowing that you couldn't go through that door without them. 

You waited for them to nod and crowd around your back before you pushed open the door. 

Of course, it was a trap. Savage had apparently let the zombies into the school when the survivors inside didn't want to comply to his demands. He had let you all into the cafeteria, knowing that the doors would lock behind you, only to be faced with a room full of zombies. 

You all managed to get out unscathed, despite the fact it had been terribly close for a while there. You had been convinced that all of you were about to die horrible, messy deaths until Anna had managed to find an escape. 

"Well, I always called him a dictator, but I never thought he would stoop to this level." You groaned and rolled your shoulders, trying to work out some of the strain in your muscles. You felt like things were getting a bit too surreal, like you weren't really there, and you knew that your lack of sleep the previous two nights was about to cause you to crash. 

"I want to look for Lisa and my gran," Chris piped up. "So where do we go from here?" 

The plan ended up being John, Chris, and Steph going to look for Chris' loved ones and Steph's car keys, since Savage had confiscated them the day before. If Steph could find her keys, then you'd all have a car to drive away in and could possibly escape Little Haven and see what was really going on outside of the small town. 

You went with Nick and Anna to track down Anna's father. You hoped you found Tony alive and well. He had always been nice to you, even though you knew he wasn't thrilled with how close your brother and Anna had gotten recently. 

You weren't really listening to Anna's and Nick's conversation as you wandered into the wood shop classroom, more focused on listening out for any zombies. You knew they were arguing about something, but it wasn't until you heard the anguish in your brother's voice that you tuned back into their conversation. 

"I had to do it, Anna! He told me to. So don't you dare try to say I don't care about anything but myself. I care about you. I care about Y/N. I cared about my friends. I cared about my dad." 

"Cared?" You asked, turning to look at your brother. "What do you mean?" 

Nick glanced at you, tears beginning to well in his eyes. "I had no other choice," he bit out, his jaw clenched. "Dad got bit," he confessed. "And he told me that I had to be the one to put him down." He glanced away from you as you felt your breath hitch. You had hoped that your father was still alive, but your brother had known the whole time that your dad was dead like most of the population of Little Haven. 

"What?" You choked out. You felt betrayed for a moment, but at the look of despair on your brother's face, you pushed the feeling aside. You knew that it must have been tearing him apart, having to kill the one person he had always looked to for approval. You opened your mouth to ask if he was okay, even though you knew he wasn't, just as the first few zombies in a large group began to filter into the room. 

"Find your dad, Anna," Nick said as he hit his bat against one of the desks, drawing the attention of most of the zombies. "Go with her, Y/N," he added as he reached out to push you in Anna's direction. 

You shook your head, knowing that you had no intention of separating from your brother. He was the only family you had left and you would die by his side if you had to. "Go on, Anna. We've got this." You stepped back towards Nick’s side. "Come on, you fuckers!" You yelled, hoping that the zombies would be so distracted by you and Nick that they wouldn't notice Anna escaping the room. 

You heard your brother make a noise of protest, but you ignored him to take a swing at the first zombie. 

Between the both of you, you managed to take care of the group of zombies. 

Once you were able to escape the classroom, you weren't sure where you were supposed to go, since the hallways were eerily silent. You made sure to be cautious. You peeked around corners, taking out zombies as needed, and trying to make as little noise as possible. As you moved through the school with your brother at your back, you couldn't help but worry about the others. What if you never saw them again? They were somewhere in the school, but with the threat of death around every corner, they might as well be in another country. 

You came to an intersection and considered the thankfully zombie-free hallways, trying to figure out which route you should take. 

"You know," Nick started, causing you to jump in surprise at the silence being broken. "That John kid isn't a bad sort." 

"Don't," you said, shaking your head. You couldn't give in to the grief you felt for your father yet, so you sure as hell didn't want to give in to the heartbreak you felt at John choosing Anna again and again. You couldn't get caught up over stupid teenage bullshit when you were risking your life with every second. 

"I'm just saying that if he wasn't so obviously in love with Anna, I probably would have let you date him." 

You glared at your brother, ignoring the smirk on his face. "What did I say about letting me do things? I would have chosen it. My choice. Not yours." 

Nick rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to have a nice sibling moment before we probably die horrible deaths. Can't you give me that?" 

"Yeah, fine," you said. You huffed out a frustrated breath, glancing down a deserted hallway. "What's the plan?" 

You were interrupted by the sound of footsteps and you brought your machete up, thinking there were more zombies coming towards you. You were grateful, however, to see John and Steph coming down the hallway towards the both of you. 

"Chris?" You asked, looking for the other boy. You hoped that he was just simply around the corner, but you should have known better than to hope for anything at that moment. 

John grimaced and shook his head, looking away from you. 

"We found Lisa," Steph explained. "Chris' grandma passed away before we got here, but Lisa was okay. We went to get my keys from Savage's office and Chris and Lisa got bitten distracting the zombies in the teacher's lounge." She looked pale and stricken, like she was having trouble with reality for a moment. "I have my keys," she offered as she held them up for you to see. "So let's get the hell out of here." 

"Wait," John cut in. "Where's Anna?" 

You glanced at your brother and then John and Steph again. More zombies were infesting the school than you had been prepared for. If all of you wanted a shot at making it out of the school alive, then the group would have to be divided again to each accomplish a goal. Someone would need to go with Steph to get her car and someone needed to track down Anna. You sighed as you considered John and Steph. "Do either of you have a weapon?" 

Both of them shook their heads and you knew that despite not wanting to, you were going to have to separate from your brother. You turned to share a look with him and knew that he had come to the same conclusion. He reached out to pull you into a hug, his grip crushingly tight on you for a few moments, before he let go of you. "I'll go fetch Anna and her dad. Y/N is going to go with the two of you to make sure you get to the car." 

Thankfully, John didn't protest the idea of going with you and Steph and not going with Nick to get Anna. You weren't sure if it was because he didn't want to be left alone with your brother or he wanted to make sure you and Steph made it to her car. 

You kept glancing back at your brother as you parted ways, hoping it wasn't the last time you saw him. Learning that your dad was dead had made you even more determined to make sure your brother made it through and you didn't want this to be goodbye. You had to believe that you would get to Steph's car with John and Steph and then rescue your brother along with Anna and her father. 

You took a deep breath before you pushed open the door to the outside of the school, your eyes widening at the number of zombies just on the other side of the door. "Fuck," you hissed, glancing quickly at Steph and John. "Let's hurry the fuck up," you said. 

You did your best to cut a path to Steph's car, glad that there weren't many zombies grouped around it. The problem was that any noise you made would only attract more zombies. 

"Both of you get in the car and then I'll get in," you said, not bothering to wait for them to agree to your plan before you took down another couple of zombies, moving as swiftly as you could. 

You heard John call your name and glanced back to see that Steph was behind the wheel and John was sitting in the backseat. He was beckoning for you to get into the car, his expression betraying how anxious he was. You swung at one more zombie before you dove for the car, allowing John to pull you inside before you shut the door behind you. 

Zombies were starting to gather around the car, but Steph was quick to start it and pull out of her parking space. She maneuvered the car around zombies, being careful not to bring any unwanted damage on the vehicle. You sat pressed up against John, your hands shaking as you tried to keep calm. You weren't sure if all of you would fit once you hopefully found your brother, Anna, and her father, but if it came down to it, you were sure you or Anna could sit on John's lap. Hell, if it saved you all, you would let John or even your brother sit on your lap, just as long as you were all safe. 

You held your breath as Steph sped around the corner of the school, hoping to see your brother somewhere outside. 

"Where are they?" You muttered, craning your neck to try to get a glimpse of any humans that might have been amongst the zombies littering the parking lot. 

"There!" John yelled, pointing past Steph's head at two figures across the parking lot. 

You noticed the ridiculous candy cane with the sharpened point first. Anna and your brother were back to back, both of them looking like they were about to take a last stand against the undead that were about to surround them. 

Steph honked the horn, gaining their attention, before she managed to pull the car in front of them. "Boom!" She called as she hit the steering wheel with her palms. "Saved your life," she added with a grin. 

Your brother ushered Anna towards the car. He pushed himself into the front seat as Anna got into the backseat with you and John. You noticed the crestfallen expression on her face and knew that her father must not have made it. 

You couldn't help but feel relief once both of them were in the car and Steph drove the car forward, leaving the school behind. You reached forward to squeeze your brother's shoulder, glad that he was still with you. He nodded at you before he turned back around, his focus on the road in front, as if still wary about any threats. 

Anna had curled into the door, staring out the window. You knew what she was going through in a way, but you knew Anna had been closer to her dad than you had. Still, you mourned Chris and Lisa, the sweetest couple to ever exist. You mourned Chris' grandmother and Anna's father. You mourned Nick's friends. You mourned your own father. So many had been lost within the past couple of days, and yet despite the odds, there was still a group of you who would live to fight another day. 

You felt immensely glad that the five of you had managed to survive Little Haven, however. As Steph drove through town, you couldn't help but feel surprise at the amount of the undead that littered the streets. They were everywhere and you couldn't help but think all five of you were extremely lucky to have managed to survive at all. 

By the time you were almost out of Little Haven, you weren't even aware that your head had started to dip, your exhaustion finally creeping up on you now that you were somewhat safe, until you felt a hand grab your own. You jolted and glanced down to see John's hand wrapped around yours. 

He offered you a sheepish smile when you met his gaze. "Get some sleep," he whispered to you. "I'll wake you if anything happens." 

You nodded your head, not sure why he was holding your hand, but feeling hope at the development. You didn't want to fool yourself into thinking he suddenly had feelings for you, but you were going to take whatever you could get in that moment. You needed comfort and sleep and John was offering you both. 

"Come on," he whispered, pulling you closer until your head was resting on his shoulder. "It'll be okay." 

You noticed your brother glance back at you, shooting you a smirk as he raised his eyebrows. You did your best not to flip him off as your eyes slip closed, your focus on John's warmth and presence at your side. 

You drifted off to the sound of Steph's car carrying all five of you out of Little Haven, bringing you towards the unknown. You couldn't help but think that as long as you managed to keep the others in the car safe, then it didn't matter where you ended up, because they were your home now. You would fight for them and they would fight for you until you all met your end. 

And if you had it your way, then the end was something you didn't have to worry about for a very long time.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm leaving it open for a sequel if I ever get to it. I really want to develop the John/Reader romance, so if you're interested in a sequel, please let me know. 
> 
> If you're interested in reader inserts for The Umbrella Academy, Stranger Things, or The Walking Dead, then please feel free to check out my other fics. ♥
> 
> And please stay safe and healthy during this really scary time. I hope you're all well. ♥


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